Hate to beat a dead horse, but... Mass. ammo storage question

[hillman]

Ok, sorry to beat a dead horse into oblivion, but I am trying to make sure I leave absolutely nothing to question here. I have checked GOAL's website, regarding Mass. ammo storage laws, read through MGL 140, section 131L, and 527 CMR 13.04, and can find NOTHING that states that ammunition and firearms can't be stored in the same room. Specifically, if both are in locked containers (safe for the firearms, locked metal ammo cans for the ammo, as well as a safe for some of the ammo), I can find nothing that states they can not be in the same room.

From what I understand, the law is that firearms AND ammo CAN be stored together, in the same safe, even, and that a safe, OR trigger locks, are required for the firearms, NOT both. And even then, neither is required if the licensed gun owner is at home, according to the recent SJC ruling.

Is this accurate? It's really important that there is nothing anywhere that states to the contrary. If there is, I need to know about it, but so far, through searching the forums here, and GOALs website, I haven't found anything. We are talking less than 10,000 rounds (less than 4,000 rounds, actually).

Please enlighten, and know that I have spent hours searching this out on my own before asking what I know others have asked before.

Thanks

 

[Mike-Mike]

For storage in home, you can store ammo with, or in, your firearm as long as it is locked.

 

[Pilgrim]

NOTHING that states that ammunition and firearms can't be stored in the same room. Specifically, if both are in locked containers (safe for the firearms, locked metal ammo cans for the ammo, as well as a safe for some of the ammo), I can find nothing that states they can not be in the same room.

Because there is nothing to find.

You can store your ammo in your guns, if you have enough guns and lock them when not in use.

 

[Scrivener]

Because there is nothing to find.

Except the many, MANY, MANY threads on that very subject, including one this week.

 

[Kevlar]

You can store the ammo in the same room with a firearm, in the same container with a firearm, or even IN a firearm (except in a vehicle), providing the firearm is properly "secured" per M.G.L. c.140 s.131L(a).

 

[Scrivener]

You can store the ammo in the same room with a firearm, in the same container with a firearm, or even IN a firearm (except in a vehicle), providing the firearm is properly "secured" per M.G.L. c.140 s.131L(a).

Note that critical exception!

 

[hillman]

Thanks everyone. That's what I had pretty much found on my own, but I wanted to make sure I hadn't missed anything. It's no fun to argue with a government employee if you aren't absolutely sure of the laws.

 

[Scrivener]

I'll bite what "government employee" do you think you might be having such a discussion WITH?

 

[M1911]

I'll bite what "government employee" do you think you might be having such a discussion WITH?

Inquiring minds want to know!

 

[icyclefar]

I'll bite what "government employee" do you think you might be having such a discussion WITH?

State Attorney General ......................... just a guess on my part.

 

[right_to_bear_arms]

I can't resist.

 

[SeanT]

Just to be safe, why don't I store it for you? You can have whatever's left over when you want it back

 

[Scrivener]

State Attorney General ......................... just a guess on my part.

HIGHLY unlikely.

 

[hillman]

No no, nothing that serious. A DCF employee, during a recent safety check of our home as part of the procedure to become approved for adoption, gave me some information that she thought was law. I respectfully indicated that I did not think that was the case, but if it was DCF policy, that was fine and I would comply. Just, not law. Now, we have a second DCF employee, who purportedly is harder on firearms owners than the previous one, thinks the same thing, and will be coming to our home soon. I don't want to cause a scene, but I wanted to make sure I had the information both from the law, and from their own policy. I now have bot, printed out and the relevant parts highlighted. I just wanted to be completely sure I was 100% accurate and not missing anything before I brought this up, if need be.

Even though this one issue came up, so far I have nothing but good things to say about the DCF employees I have encountered, and I don't think they are any more or less ignorant of the law than many police departments and other official agencies in the state.

Thanks for the info.

 

[Scrivener]

IF - again, IF - that is DYF policy, state law is irrelevant.

Then again, it may well be some hoplophobic social worker's personal bias. Ask for a written statement of policy.

 

[hillman]

IF - again, IF - that is DYF policy, state law is irrelevant.

Then again, it may well be some hoplophobic social worker's personal bias. Ask for a written statement of policy.

That's just it, I HAD asked for a written version of the policy, and they ignored my request, so I searched through all the documents that they had sent us and that I could find online and found it.

Their written policy is that guns should be stored with trigger locks OR inoperable in a "locked area" with ammunition stored in a "separate locked location". The words "area" and "location" are what bug me, but I already said as long as I knew it was their policy, that's fine, I would comply, but that if they were operating under the assumption that I HAD to, as the DCF employee told me, put trigger locks AND have the guns in a locked safe, as well as store the ammo in a locked safe, in a separate locked room, because it was LAW, that I would question it.

Whatever their policy is, that's fine, I will jump through the hoops to give a child or two a good home and fulfill that need in our own lives. But it irritates me when they tell me I have to do things because that's the law, when it's not. I just wanted to be able to have all of my ducks in a row before I was willing to, POLITELY, assert that we were in fact following both the law AND their written policy.

I'm very aware that this is like arguing with the COP about CCW licensing... do so at your own peril, so I'm not looking to argue, just to be sure of what I say.

 

[Scrivener]

Their written policy is that guns should be stored with trigger locks OR inoperable in a "locked area" with ammunition stored in a "separate locked location". The words "area" and "location" are what bug me, but I already said as long as I knew it was their policy, that's fine, I would comply, but that if they were operating under the assumption that I HAD to, as the DCF employee told me, put trigger locks AND have the guns in a locked safe, as well as store the ammo in a locked safe, in a separate locked room, because it was LAW, that I would question it.

The DCF equivalent of a dispatcher.........

Whatever their policy is, that's fine, I will jump through the hoops to give a child or two a good home and fulfill that need in our own lives. But it irritates me when they tell me I have to do things because that's the law, when it's not. I just wanted to be able to have all of my ducks in a row before I was willing to, POLITELY, assert that we were in fact following both the law AND their written policy.

I'm very aware that this is like arguing with the COP about CCW licensing... do so at your own peril, so I'm not looking to argue, just to be sure of what I say.

Good on you; both for the adoption and knowing the social worker is an inane hoplophobe.